Soot remover for water-tube boilers



April 20 1926.

B. L. AMES SOOT REMOVER FOR WATER TUBE BOILERS Filed August 19, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 f" i "0. I/

April 20, 1926. 1,581,504

B. L. AM ES SOOT REMOVER FOR WATER TUBE BOILERS Filed August 19, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I 1- 4 W 58 57 f INvENTuY: V

7a 5- 1 1 y 6 M Patented Apr. '20, 1926.

UNITED TATES BRADFORD L. Arms, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SOOT REMOVER FOR'WATER-TUBE BOILERS.

Application filed August 19, 1921.. Serial No. 493,567.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, BRADFORD L. AMES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful 1m rovement in Soot Removers for Veter- Tu e Boilers, of which the following isa specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings,

The invention relates to an improvement in soot removers for water tube boilers. The invention relates to that class of soot removers which comprises a plurality of noz zles through which steam is injected between the tubes of the boiler to remove the soot therefrom. One object of the invention is to provide a unit fully assembled having a plurality of nozzles and which as a complete unit can be connected up with the boiler set ting. Another object of the invention is to provide means" by which the entire assembly of nozzles may be simultaneously moved to turn them back out of the heat of the furnace when they are not to be operated and can be turned down into the furnace into operative position when desired for use; Another object of the invention is to provide swinging shutters w ich are automatically closed to protect the nozzles from exposure to the heat when the nozzles are turned back out of operative position, and which are automatically opened when the nozzles are turned into operative position. Other features of the invention will be more particularly set forth hereinafter and disclosed in the claims.

The invention will be fully understood from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel featuures thereof will be pointed out and clearly defined in the claims at the close of this specification.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan partly in section of one of the units, embodying the invention connected up with a furnace in which vertical boiler tubes are used.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 83 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view in elevation partly broken away of a unit embodying the invention, as applied to a furnace having inclined boiler tubes, commonly known as a horizontal water tube boiler. I

Fig. '5 a section on line of Fig. 4,

nace by the brackets 2-2, as already do scribed.

The two end walls 33 are connectedby a front wall plate 4 which extends transverse ly between the two end plates 3'3. i

A main feed tube 5 is provided through which steam is furnished to the nozzles, said feed tube 5" having connected therewith an elbow G'Whih together with the main feed tube 5 forms a part of the unit, the elbow 6 being suitably fitted for connection with a main supply tube, not shown, leadingfrom the boiler.

A plurality of branch members '7 are connected with the side of the feed tube 5, extending at right angles thereto, the connection preferably being made by forming each,

branch 7 with a screw-threaded portion 8 which screws into a threaded aperture in the side of the feed tube 5;

There are provided a plurality of elbows 9 equalto the number-of branch members 7, each elbow having a swivel or rotor connection 10 with one of the branch members, and each one of the elbows has anoz-zle 11' conneet'ed therewith preferably by screw-threaded connection. The said'nozzles are all disposed parallel to each other, and by reason of the swivel connection between the elbows and the branch members, the saidn'ozzles may be rocked in planes parallel to each other. In the vertical type of construction shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the feed tube 5 is disposed horizontally and the elbows 9 be ing right-angled elbows which are connected with the sides of. the branch members, the said nozzles will move in vertical planes parallel with each other.

i It is important that all of the nozzles be kept in the same plane with each other and moved all together parallel planes. In

order to maintain the nozzles in this relation to each other, there are provided two horizontal rods 12 12 which are spaced slightly apart parallel with each other and are mounted in hangers 13-13 which are respectively pivotedat 14 to the two opposite end branch members 7, as shown in Figure 1. Said hangers have each two apertures which form bearings for the said rods 12 and are spaced apart from each other so that the two rods embrace the entire series of nozzles, one of said rods being on the upper side and the other on the lower side of each of the nozzles, so that if the said hangers are rocked on their pivots the rods will be carried with the hangers and move the nozzles together, either up oudown according to the oscillating or rocking movement of the hangers.

Means are provided whereby the said bars may be rocked.

A shaft 15 passes through the front wall of the furnace, its inner end being journalled in a bracket 16 secured to one of the branch feed members 7, preferably to one of the branch members or near the middle of the series, and the outer end of the shaft terminates in a square portion 17 adapted to receive the socket of a handle or wheel to turn the shaft.

Mounted on the shaft is a worm 18 which engages with a worm gear 19. Said gear is also formed with a lug 20 having two apertures through which respectively the two rods 1212 pass so that the oscillation of said gear will oscillate said rods. By turning the shaft 15 the worm 18 engaging the gear 10 will pos1t1vely swmg the rods 12 in an arc of which the axis of the gear 19 is the center, and thereby cause the oscillation simultaneously and equally of all of the nozzles 11 up or down depending upon the direction in which the shaft 15 1s turned. Thus the nozzles 11 may be swung up and down a sufficient arcuate sweep to inject the steam between the boiler tubes for the full length of the tubes.

The several branch numbers and nozzles, feed tube and operating mechanisms described are provided with a casing having a framework 22 to which are attached the side walls 3, 3 previously mentioned, and the front shield 4 for the outer side of the unit, and a plurality of shutters 24 which open to the interior of the furnace and which may be opened to allow the nozzles to be turned down into operative position with relation to the boiler tubes, said nozzles being foldable back into the cabinet or casing between the said shutters and the front shield 4 when the nozzles are intended to be out of use so as to protect the nozzles from injury by being exposed to the heat of the furnace.

It is not practical to have the shutters air tight when they are closed, as there must be room for considerable expansion and for a large amount of dirt. The front shield 4c prevents infiltration of air through the shut ters when they are closed and prevents cold air from getting in against the tubes.

Means are provided whereby the said shutters will be'automatically opened when the nozzles are turned down into operative position, and whereby the said shutters will be automatically closed when the nozzles are turned up into inoperative position with in the casing.

Each of said shutters 24: is hinged at top and bottom by the hinge pins 2525 in the ears 26-26 respectively which are connected with the casing, so that's-aid shutters can swing on said hinges. Each shutter is provided with a chain or other suitable flexible member 27, one end of said chain being fastened at 28 to the shutter and the other end of each of said chains being connected with a floating rod 29 which extends horizontally at some distance above the valve bodies. When the shaft 15 is turned in a direction to cause the nozzles to be turned from the operating position shown in Figures 1 and 2, up into the vertical position in the casing, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 2, said nozzles will engage the rod 29 in their upward movement and carry said rod 29 with them up inside of the casing far enough to cause the shutters to swing closed as shown in Figure 3.

When the shaft 15 is turned in the reverse direction to swing the nozzles down into operative position the ends of the nozzles will strike against the side of the shutters and swing the shutters open, thus allowing the nozzles to drop down into operative position as shown in full lines in Figure 2.

The inner walls of the casing to which the shutters are hinged are preferably provided with channel members 30, each of which receives a fire brick '31 to protect the interior wall of the casing from the heat of the furnace.

It is obvious that by simply turning the shaft 15 all of the nozzles will be simultaneously turned down into operative position or turned up out of operative position within the casing according to the direction of turning of the shaft, and also that the shutters will be closed when the nozzles are rocked up in inoperative position and will be opened by the turning down of the nozzles into operative position.

The entire apparatus comprising the casing, the branch feed members and nozzles, and the operating shaft together with the worm and gear and the feed tube 5 forms a single unit which may be readily attached to the furnace front in any suitable way. In the form shown in the drawings this means consists of screwing the brackets 22 to the furnace front and the elbow 6 I 41-3 of the cap 39, so jth at'tlresa'id rotor'can of I the feed tube may be reinflgily connected with the steam supply pipe"fro1n the b oilel' (not shown'f as already described. I

In Figures 4 and 5 thereisf showii'the adaptation of" the [same principle ofconstruction to au'nit for use with a" boiler having horizontal tubes or tubes having a slight pitch" to the horizontal.

In this constructio'l'i th'ejjboiler tubes'35 which for convenience willbe referred to as horizontal tubes, as 'dist'in'gi'iished"from the vertical type already described, are 'set at a slightan gle of pi'tch'and'it isimp'ortant'to have the nozzles swingin a plane which" is parallel with the boiler tubes so that the nozzles will be always atthe'same angle of pitch and parallelwith the boiler tubes at alltimes throughout theirunjcwement. In this form of construction th e feed tube 36 is shown ina vertical position and the nozzles 11 are" disposed one abovethe other in series and extend betweentwo' vertical guide rods 12 12 similar" to the horizontal guide rods 12i-'12'already2 described, except as to'being-vertical instead of horizontal. Said uide rods are mounted loosely in han ersmas pivoted to the branch members 7 a and are preventedfroin workingoutof'position by the collars 48, 49' fastened to the rod,' one above andon'e below the lug 20'?" on theworm gear 19 An operating shaft 15 is provided having a worm 18 engaging with the worm gear 19 formedwith" a lug 20 -"apertured for engagement with the rods 12? to swing the nozzles in the manner already. described;

A' special form of construction for the swivel connection of the; elbows 9 'withth'e branch feed members 7. is providedvto enable the nozzles to swing always in the same plane at the same pitch as the boiler tubes. This formof'construction is shown in Figure 6; p p

The branch 7 is formed with an aperture 37 through the upper side wall having a flange 38 surrounding said aperture. An annular cap'39 is formed with a flange 40 which is seated upon and secured't o the flange 28 of the branch member by bolts 41. The said cap 39 has a neck i2 whose axis is inclined to the axis of the branch member so that the inner face {l3 of the annular cap lies in an inclined plane which is at the same angle of inclination as the boiler tubes 35. The elbows 9? with which the nozzles 11 are connected have a swivel connection with the cap 39 of the branch member by means-ofa rotor which is screwed into th'eelbow, said'rotorhaving a smooth shank portion which turns readily in the bore ofthe-cap'39; Said rotor has ahead 46 having a flat smoothinner' surface 47 which is seated upon the inner face nozzles are turned back into their enclosing case, the said shutters 'willsimply close by gravity; therefore,"it is notneces'sary in this type of boiler to havetheflo'ating bar 29 such as previously describedfonthe verti-' cal type of bo'ilerl The threads of the worm gear preferably have" about ten to onereduc'tion from the worm, so that when the worm shaft is turned the nozzles willm'o've very slowly and give more chance for the steam from the nozzles to play upon the tubes and to reach the tubesat the farthest point away which would be less likely to take place if the worm gear turned at the same speed as the shaft.

What 'I' claim is 1'. A soot blower for aboi'ler comprising a'ste'am supply pipe, a pluralityof nozzles parallel with each other projecting laterally from said pipe, aswivel connectionbetween eaolr nozzle and said supply pipe,

guides having an T elongatedspa'ce between them" through which said nozzles loosely pass, and means for oscillating" said guides bodily in an' arcuate .path whereby said guides 'cause said nozzles to simultaneously sweep through arcuate. paths in parallel planes. I

2'. A soot blower for boilers comprising a steam suppl'y 'pipe, a plurality of nozzles projecting laterally from said supply pipe parallel'to each other, a swivel connection between one endofeachnozzle and the supply pipe, a pair o'f-guides' between which said nozzles loose-ly pass, and means for swinging said guides bodily in an arcuate path, said guidesintheir-movement engaging said nozzles'and thereby causing all of said nozzles to simultaneously sweep through arcuate paths in parallel planes.

A" soot blower for boilers comprising a steam supply pipe, a plurality of nozzles- 'projecting latr'erallyjfiomsaid supply pipe parallel to each other, a swivel connection betweenone end of each nozzle and the supply pipe, guides betweenwh'ich said nozzles loosely pass, a rocker shaft, and gear connection between said rocker shaft and said guides, whereby the rocking of saidshaft causes'the said guidestobo'dily swing in an ai'cuate path and therebyvtooscillate the-said nozzles so that their outer ends sweep through arcuate paths in planes parallel with each other. 7

4. A soot blower for boilers comprising a steam supply pipe, a plurality of branches connected with ports in the side of the said supply pipe,a plurality of nozzles, one for each branch, parallel with each other and each having a swivel connection at one end with one of said branches, guides having an elongated space between them-through which said nozzles loosely pass, and means for oscillating said guides bodilyinan arcuate path, whereby all the said nozzles are simu1- tancously caused to sveep through arcuate paths in parallel planes.

7 11 A soot blower for boilers comprising a steam supply pipe, a plurality of branches connected with ports in the side of the said supply pipe, a plurality of nozzles one for each branch parallel with each other and each having a swivel connection at one end with one of said branches, guides having an elongated space between them through which said nozzles loosely pass, a rocker shaft, and gear connection between said rocker shaft and said guides, whereby the rocking of said shaft causes the said guides to bodily swing in an arcuate path and thereby to move the said nozzles so that their outer ends sweep through arcuate paths in planes parallel with each other.

6. A. soot blower for boilers comprising a steam supply pipe, a plurality of branch members connected with ports in the sides of said supply pipe, a plurality ofnozzle's one for each branch parallel with each other and each having a swivel connection at one end with one of said branch members, two parallel guide rods having a space between them through which said nozzles pass, a plurality of hangers each pivotally connected at one end with one of said branch members, the swinging ends of said hangers having apertures through which said guide rods pass, a rocker shaft having a worm mounted thereon, a gear engaging with said vworm and having a lug through which said guide rods pass, whereby the rocking of said shaft oscillates said guides and thereby simultaneously oscillates bodily all of said nozzles causing them to sweep through arcuate paths in parallel planes.

7. A soot blower for boilers comprising a steam supply pipe, a plurality of branch members connected with ports in the side of the said supply pipe, a plurality of nozzles one for each branch parallel with each other and each having a swivel connection at one end with one of said branches, guides having an elongated space between them through which said nozzles loosely pass, a rocker shaft, gear connection between said rocker shaft and said guides, whereby the rocking of said shaft causes the said guides to bodily swing in an arcuate path and thereby to oscillate the said nozzles so that their outer ends sweep through arcuate paths in planes parallel with each other, a casing in which said steam supply pipe is mounted and which supports all of the elements previously set forth herein, thereby forming a unitary structure, and means for attaching the said unitary structureto the wall of a furnace having boiler tubes in such manner that the said nozzles may be oscillated to sweep between the boiler tubes.

8. A soot blower for boilers comprising a steam supply pipe, a plurality of branch members connected with ports in the side of the said supply pipe, a plurality of nozzles one for each branch member parallel with each other and each having a swivel connection at one end with one of said branches, guides having an elongated space; between them through which said nozzles loosely pass, a rocker shaft, gear connection between said rocker shaft and said guides, whereby the rocking of said shaft causes the said guides to bodily swing in an arcuatepath and thereby to oscillate the said nozzles so that their outer ends sweep through arcuate paths in planes parallel with each other, a casing in which said steam supply pipe is mounted and which supports all of the elements previously set forth herein, thereby forming a unitary structure, and means for attaching the said unitary structure to the wall of a furnace of a water tube boiler in such manner that the said nozzles may be oscillated to sweep between the boiler tubes, and which may be turned back into the easing by rotating the rocker shaft in the re verse direction, said casing'being provided with shutters which are normally closed when'the nozzles are turned baclrinto the casing and which are engaged by'th-e nozzles to automatically open the shutters when the nozzles are rockeddown into operative position with relation to the boiler tubes.

9. A soot blower for boilers comprising a steam supply pipe, a plurality of branch members connected with ports in the side of the said supply pipe, a plurality of nozzles one for each branch member parallel with each other and each having, a .swivel connection at one end with one of said branches, guides having an elongated space between them through which said nozzles loosely pass, a rocker shaft, gear connection between said rocker shaft and said guides, whereby the rocking of said shaft causes the said guides to bodily swing in an arcuate path and thereby to oscillatethe said nozzles so that their outer ends sweep through arcuate paths in planes parallel with each other, a casing in which said steam sup-ply pipe is mounted and which supports all of the elements previously set forth herein,

thereby forming a unitary structure, means,

for attaching the said unitary structure to the wall of a furnace of a water tube boiler in such manner that the said nozzles may be oscillated to sweep between the boiler tubes, and which may be turned back into the casing by rotating the rocker shaft in the reverse direction, said casing being provided with shutters which are normally closed when the nozzles are turned back into the casing and which are engaged by the nozzles to automatically open the shutters when the nozzles are rocked down into operative position with relation to the boiler tubes, and a swinging bar having flexible connections with all of said shutters, said bar being suspended in posit-ion where it will be engaged by said nozzles when said nozzles are swung back into the covering and thereby close the shutters.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. I 1

BRADFORD L. AMES. 

